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Dick Humphreys' motor business

Dick Humphreys
went into business end-1922,
funded by family friend
(and future father-in-law) James O'Mara.
He imported tyres made in
Canada by James' brother Joe,
under the name "O'Mara Rubber Co".
By agreement dated 9th Oct 1922
he rented the 2nd floor office at 79 Dame St, Dublin.
This was 2 doors away from
Humphrys' pub,
run by his uncle
Mick Humphrys.
Dick designed the
thread pattern on the O'Mara's tyre.

Tommy O'Brien
went to work for him.
Tommy had
just left school, age 16, 1922-3.
Nell
suggested to Tommy's mother maybe he would go work for Dick.
Offices on 2nd floor when Tommy arrived.
6 months later they moved down to 1st floor offices of 79 Dame St.
Never on ground floor (which was a tailors' shop).

Tommy O'Brien said
Dick was "a reluctant businessman, kind of pitchforked into it by James O'Mara".
He
remembered Dick got a letter from Pirelli
asking for estimates, wrote answers in margin and mailed it back.
Dick didn't care for appearances,
never modernised the place, right to the end.
Tommy
said Dick was always looking out to help people, not businessman - tended to give things away.
He left Tommy in charge a lot, left him with signed blank cheques to pay bills - trust.
"The kindest, gentlest man I ever met".
Tommy always grateful to him - gave him his start in business.
Some of Donnelly's
salesmen were given O'Mara tyres to sell on commission.
"With the exception of Michael Higgins of Galway none of them sold a damn thing".
Bacon and tyres not exactly linked.
Tommy remembers Dame St, winter evening, c.5.30pm, very dark, rain,
looking out of window of office, young boy with donkey, drawing cart of coal blocks,
refused to go up hill outside
City Hall, workmen passing by,
Tommy saw Dick pull up, get out behind cart, pushed, off it went.
Another time in Dame St, Dick asked him:
"How much is in the petty cash?"
It was £3 (a lot then) and some change.
"Give me the £3".
Dick gave it to the news vendor
- middle aged man, his wife expecting, hard up for money.

They were at 79 Dame St for years before they were even listed in
[Thoms].
Not listed at 79 Dame St in
[Thoms]
until 1927 and 1928 edns.
Listed as "O'Mara Rubber Co".
Offices at 79 Dame St were really unsuitable for tyre place.

They moved to more suitable premises, 36 Pearse St, Dublin.Tommy O'Brien
says they were in Pearse St when Dick started ordering
Thomond parts, so
prob. moved there 1928.
Listed at 36 Pearse St in
[Thoms]1929 on.
Still called "O'Mara Rubber Co" in [Thoms, 1938].
Name became
"Richard Humphreys Auto Services".
Within a few years dropped O'Mara / K&S tyres,
changed name to "Humphreys Autofactors",
tyres and motor accessories.
He sold Pirelli tyres,
great success, but couldn't get the agency.
Pirelli decided to set up their own place in Dublin instead.
In 1935 Dunlop
opened factory in Cork, got government protection, monopoly of Irish market.
Now Dick had to sell Dunlops.
(In fact, he'd actually wanted to for years.
He had used Dunlops on both of his Thomond cars.)
Tommy left him think early 1935 to join Dunlops.
Competition tough in tyre business 1960s.
Dick was in semi-retirement at time of his death 1968.
"Humphreys Autofactors" last listed in
[Thoms]
1969 edn.